I don't feel like a fucking ray of light right now, but the mellow softness of his tone does the trick as I take deep breaths. My heart feels like it could pound right out of mychest, but I force myself to look away from the truck behind us. Instead, I focus on the hand holding mine and the warm thumb brushing over my own.
It’s comforting in this time of distress. Until the vehicle behind us rams into the tailgate, and Rowan has to wrench it back before we tailspin off the road.
I close my eyes, my whole body tensing as we swerve. A mangled whimper leaves me as I faintly register Rowan cursing. He rights us on the road, hitting the gas to give us some distance between them. It isn't much, but we aren't playing bumper cars anymore.
“Try not to tense up,” my driver instructs. “If we wreck—”
“I don't need a lesson on road safety!” I shout in fear. “Please, get us away from them!”
I can't think about us crashing.
I’m spiraling.
“Working on it,” he grits. “Do you trust me?”
I don't think I heard him right as I crack my eyes open. “What?”
“Do you trust me, Addison?” His voice softens slightly as his stare locks onto something up ahead.
Well, this is a fine time to unpack some trauma.
I follow his gaze, my heart plummeting when I see a semi truck rolling steadily toward us in the opposite lane. “No, no,no!” I scramble back in my seat, connecting the dots in my head.
“Don’t tense! Relax!” He commands tightly. “I won't let anything happen to you.”
“ROWAN!” I cry out as he swerves just as the large truck is about to pass us. Everything seems to happen in slow motion. Rowan cuts out, startling the driver, who quickly veers to avoid us. At the last second, my driver turns the wheel hard, bringing us back onto our lane as the semi swerves back onto the road and crashes into the men following us.
It’s absolute bone-chilling carnage to watch from therear-view as shrapnel flies. The sound is even worse as groaning metal pierces the air. I’m horrified, yet I can't look away as the semi finally tips over, scraping over the asphalt.
We speed away, but my eyes stay locked on the wreck behind us as my pulse pounds in my ears. It isn't until Rowan takes a sharp turn onto a side road that I’m left staring at receding trees. An eerily quiet fills the cab, and I don't even blink as my brain attempts to process what just happened.
“You’re okay,” Rowan coos. He reaches a hand across the console, and I jerk away from him as my stomach churns.
“Stop the truck,” I mumble past the building saliva in my mouth.
“You’re fine, Addison—”
“STOP THE TRUCK!” I shout, my stomach rebelling as Rowan swerves to the shoulder.
I’m throwing the door open before he can come to a stop. My hands fumble with the seatbelt before I jump out and onto the grass. I stumble on shaky legs before I bend over and brace my hands on my knees.
I hear heavy boots rounding the truck’s hood before a gentle hand gathers my hair away from my face. I can't even thank him as I inelegantly vomit up my breakfast.
I try to get the wreckage out of my mind. The possibility of the people following us dying in that wreck is too high for me to find comfort in. Just thinking of the dead bodies we potentially left behind has another dry heave coming from me. There’s nothing left in my stomach, and I begin to feel exhaustion tugging at me as my adrenaline wanes and I shake where I stand.
I catch my breath, only to notice a comforting hand rubbing slow, steady circles on my back. It’s distracting and calming as I come back to the present.
“There you are,” Rowan says softly. “You’re okay. We’re safe.”
“What…” I take a sharp breath, battling more bile that threatens to rise. “What was that? What’s going on?”
I’m shaking uncontrollably now, my whole body shivering with the morning chill, and the Epinephrine leeching from my veins.
“Let’s get you back in the truck first,” Rowan instructs, keeping that soothing tone that seems unnatural for his deep voice. “Can you walk?”
“I…I don't know.” I shake my head, the nausea resurfacing.
“It’s just your adrenaline.” his words are a balm for my racing mind, and I focus on him rather than my state. “Stand up slowly.” He places a hand on my chest, helping me until I'm upright. “Your heart rate is accelerated. Slow your breathing, Addison. I've got you.”
